Phoenixville Town Watch reorganizes

PHOENIXVILLE — The Phoenixville Town Watch has reorganized roughly half-a-year after the last incarnation disbanded.

“I was amongst a lot of people that kept saying that I wanted to start it up again,” said Mike Kuznar, Phoenixville Middle Ward council candidate and a member of the borough’s planning commission.

Kuznar said he appealed to Ginger Murphy, who has lived in Phoenixville for almost a decade and is now one of the watch’s main organizers.

“When I moved to Phoenixville in 2004, there was a town watch established,” Murphy said. “It was a great way to meet people in the community and work in a positive way (for Phoenixville).”

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The town watch disbanded after its former leader, Mike Hill, moved to a new residence and decided to step away from directing it.

Murphy said the latest incarnation is taking advice from Hill, who wants to “stay involved” but not direct the organization.

“He’s been great in getting us started again,” she said.

Kuznar said he wanted to get the watch started again over concerns of illegal activity going on in the borough.

“It was a crazy time for us to stop,” having a town watch, he said.

The watch was reformed and had its first meeting at Grace Crossing Community Church at the intersection of Church and Gay Streets April 18.

The watch, which currently stands at a membership of as many as eight people, plans to continue meeting at the church every third Thursday to discuss concerns of particular incidents.

“Mainly, what we do is the eyes and ears of the community,” Murphy said. “We don’t ask people to intervene in any way.”

The Phoenixville Town Watch does not do patrols, like the Pottstown Guardian Angels. That could potentially change in the future, but there are no plans for it yet.

“(We’ll) wait and see because we really are driven by community members and we want to see what people think is right for the community,” Murphy said.

At the moment, the watch has forms people can fill out with their names or anonymously for incidents they’re concerned about. Additionally, Murphy said the watch will meet with the Phoenixville Police and the borough’s codes department once a month.

“We serve partly as a liaison to the police and codes,” Murphy said. “We’re more of an awareness (organization).”

“I think the town watch is positive and good and if they can get it going that’d be great,” said Mayor Leo Scoda.

He’s hopeful that the organization will help the police department in preventing some crime.

“Prevention, that’s a big thing,” he said.

In addition to meeting monthly, the organization will likely be out and about at events such as the Dogwood Festival, community cleanups and National Night Out.

“We want to network with other groups,” she said,.

Those interested in becoming a part of the Phoenixville Town Watch can contact Kuznar at mikekuznarford@yahoo.com